Oxidoreductases such as peroxidases and laccases have been suggested as antimicrobial agents in the cleaning industry. The antimicrobial activity of oxidoreductases within fields such as
detergents or biofilm removal is described in disclosures such as in WO 97/04102 (NOVO NORDISK), WO 97/42825 (NOVO NORDISK), WO 97/28257 (NOVO NORDISK), WO 97/41215 (NOVO NORDISK) and WO 98/26807) (NOVO NORDISK).
Other prior art is WO 95/27009 (STRICHTING SCHEIKUNDIG ONDERSOZOEK IN NEDERLAND) which suggests that the antimicrobial activities of vanadium chloroperoxidases may be used to prevent fouling of a marine paint surface by immobilising the haloperoxidase in the paint surface and use halides and hydrogen peroxide present in sea water to provide antimicrobial reactions. Examples of this use include vanadium chlorohalopexidase mixed with a solvent based chlorinated rubber antifouling 2000 (AKZO) product or immobilized in a acrylic latex (Sikkens) or a polyacrylamid matrix. The activity of a haloperoxidase in the conventional growth inhibiting agent (the chlorinated rubber antifouling 2000 (AKZO) is however very low due to the solvent of the antifouling agent and poor mixability of the fouling agent with the haloperoxidase.
Also WO 95/27046 (UNILEVER) concerns the use of vanadium haloperoxidase in antimicrobial compositions.
Patent application No. DK98/00477 (unpublished at the date of priority) describes, in particular the section titled “Conservation/preservation of paints” on pages 41–42, the concept and advantage of using oxidoreductases for preservation and/or conservation of water based paints as an alternative to conventional environmentally bio-hazardous biocides, and this invention is a further development of the inventions described in this disclosure.
EP 500 387 A2 discloses haloperoxidases which is used in antiseptic pharmaceutical products.